BSHS-TV
Immerse yourself in a captivating visual journey, explore our vast collection of curated videos that showcase our local Bonita Springs History. Watch firsthand interviews from longtime residents, captivating narrated history videos highlighting different aspects of our past, and more!
Casner Home
Liles Hotel History Center in Riverside Park
Old US 41 Rd & Imperial River
Four Corners: Old US 41 Rd & Terry St
Early Hotels
Early Businesses
Community Buildings
The Imperial River
The videos below were produced by the Historic Preservation Board of the City of Bonita Springs as part of a Walking Tour of Historic properties, in conjunction with the Bonita Springs Historical Society.
Interview with Don Trew & Charlie Strader
A Hogue’s Tale
Don't Hesitate, Incorporate
Hispanic Voices of Bonita Springs
Migrant Workers of Bonita Springs
The Shell Factory and More
Night of Memories with EWG guides
Interview with the Liles / Lyles Cousins
Interview with Joe Hogue
Interview with Jean Hogue
Interview with Jim & John Weeks
Interview with Wilma Harvard
Interview with Georgia Hortin
Interview with Jerry Strickland
50 years of Bonita Springs Lions Club
The business of railroads with Alex Grantt
Railroads in SW Florida with Gregg Turner
Bonita Springs Greatest Generation, In their own words.
The videos below were produced by the Bonita Springs Historic Society, with special thanks to Robert Gillette.
Vic Buckett
Yeoman 2 Victor Buckett, US Navy: Buckett was one of only a handful of survivors from the USS Indianapolis, the destroyer that delivered the components for the atomic bomb. When his ship was torpedoed killing a good portion of the sailors on board, Vic went overboard. For four days, they waited in those shark-infested waters for a rescue.
Raymond Filmore
Corporal Raymond Filmore, US Army: Filmore was just 18 years old when he entered the US Army. He was assigned to the 25th Infantry Division, 89th Field Artillery Battalion based in the Pacific Theater of Operations. His state side posts included time in Georgia, Alabama and California, and overseas duties in the Philippine Islands.
Myron Kratzer
Tech Sergeant Myron Kratzer, US Army: Kratzer was a chemical engineer/scientist assigned to work on the Manhattan Project at Los Alamos, New Mexico during the middle part of World War 2. His unit, working in secrecy, was instrumental in the development of the atomic bombs that helped bring an end to the war in Japan.
Mario Grossi
Staff Sergeant Mario Grossi, US Army: Grossi had just turned 19 years old when he was drafted. He was part of the 4th wave of soldiers that landed on Omaha Beach after D-Day. His unit fought their way across Europe and participated in the Battle of the Bulge. He unit liberated the infamous Wobbelein Concentration Camp in Germany.
Lloyd Rauch
PFC Lloyd Rauch, US Army: Rauch was part of a squad that led an advance into Germany, and who helped liberate the infamous Dachau Concentration Camp. During that operation, Lloyd spoke of opening a sliding door of a box car at the camp and being smothered by the rotting bodies that poured out.
Joseph "Clyde" Bacon
PFC Joseph “Clyde” Bacon, US Army: Bacon initially served as a tank instructor assigned to an Armor Unit at Fort Knox, Kentucky and later as a Signal Corpsman in New Jersey. After his stateside duties ended, was reassigned as an Infantryman in England, France, Belgium and later Germany.
George West
Tech Sergeant George West, US Army: Infantry TSGT George West was a recipient of the Silver Star for gallantry, our nation’s third highest medal for valor. His posts during the war included duties all throughout Europe. His citation recalls how he became a “one-man patrol” after almost his entire unit was wiped out during a mortar attack in Germany.
Bill Pace
Staff Sergeant Bill Pace, US Army Air Corps: SSGT Bill Pace was a belly gunner on a B-17 that was shot down over Germany. Bill was ejected out of his plane when it split apart. Due to the confines of the ball turret, he couldn’t wear the chute, so he tossed it in the bubble. When he hit land he was captured and spent the last part of the war in two German POW camps.
Alan Moir
First Lieutenant Alan Moir, US Army Air Corps: Moir in essence toured the world as part of a flight crew, flight instructor and communications officer for the US Army Air Corps. His overseas posts during the war included Paris, London, Scotland, Iceland, the Azores, Newfoundland, Africa and numerous state side posts.
Tales of Old Bonita from three longtime residents
The Society thanks them so much for sharing their heritage and stories of their time in Bonita Springs
Byron Liles
Don Trew
Jean Hogue